WINTHROP UNIVERSITY
Department of Chemistry, Physics, & Geology

Semester: Spring 2025                   Course: PHYS 202L - General Physics II Laboratory.
Credit hours: 0                        Co-requisite: PHYS 202                

Professor: Dr. Ponn Maheswaranathan (Mahes).

Office Hours: T & Th 11-12:30, T 3-4:30, and W 4-5 (Sims 213-B) OR by appointment.            
Cell Phone: 803-504-9399, E-mail: mahesp@winthrop.edu

Textbook: College Physics, by OpenStax, Free Online Textbook     

Lab Hand-outs can be accessed through the links provided in the lab schedule below.                    

Course Objectives:

• Develop an understanding of physics' role as the most basic of the sciences.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history of scientific discovery.
• Learn the introductory physics concepts associated with heat, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, and optics.  
• Gain an understanding of physics' role in technology and in everyday life and to discuss the strengths and limitations of science. 
• Develop conceptual and analytical problem solving skills.
• Learn how to design and carry out introductory physics experiments.
• Learn how to use computers for data collection & analysis and graphing.
• Draw conclusions for the experiments and write laboratory reports.

University-Level Competencies:

General Physics II introduces students to the role of scientific reasoning in solving introductory physics problems using algebra & trigonometry (e.g. calculating entropy changes in thermodynamics, calculating magnetic field due to electric currents, and analyzing circuits). They will apply the scientific methodologies of inquiry during the laboratory, PHYS 202L, and write well-reasoned conclusions. They will also be introduced to the history of scientific discovery (e.g., topics and devices are introduced with historical perspectives) and learn that the theories in physics evolve into laws after continuous re-evaluations and arguments. In addition they will see how scientific advances made in a laboratory transform into useful technological devices (e.g., the development of the transistor from vacuum tube to silicon chip).   

After the completion of the lab, you need to do a post-lab quiz, before midnight Friday, in the PHYS 202 BB page.   This will carry 10% of the lab score. The paper copy of the completed lab handout is due at the beginning of the next lab. The lab report (created by inserting data tables, graphs, and conclusion (individualized) in the electronic copy of the lab handout) is due before the beginning of the next lab, through the PHYS 202L BB page, will carry 90% of the lab score. 

 Winthrop University’s Academic Success Center (ASC) provides comprehensive free resources for all undergraduate students seeking to perform their best academically. The ASC offers a variety of personalized and structured resources that help students achieve academic excellence, including peer tutoring and academic coaching. In addition to services within the ASC, other campus services (e.g., Writing Center, Language Learning Center, Library) are available. For more information, please visit the ASC website’s Student Resources page: https://www.winthrop.edu/success/campus-resources.aspx. You can also contact the ASC at 803/323-3929 or success@winthrop.edu with any questions.

Guidelines for the in person laboratory:
1. You must read the lab-handout and the relevant materials from the textbook before the lab period and be prepared for the laboratory.
2. You need to wear mask and follow social distancing in the lab, if required.
3. The laboratory equipment will be kept in a cart, return them to the cart, at the completion of your lab work.                            

Academic Integrity at Winthrop University: "Academic integrity is a fundamental tenet of the Winthrop learning community. Academic work must depend upon respect for and acknowledgement of the research and ideas of others. Misrepresentation of someone else’s work (or the use of AI or CHAT GPT) as one’s own is a most serious offense in any academic setting. Academic misconduct in any form cannot be condoned."  

Lab Schedule:

Lab Reports:  At the completion of each lab every student is required to turn in a lab write-up with a conclusion. Students are encouraged to be creative with their conclusions and explain whether or not their results are accurate. If the results are not close to the accepted values, student are expected to give reasons for any discrepancies. The conclusion section is the part of the lab which is most important to check for student comprehension of the topic.

How to write a conclusion?

* Conclusion is the most important part of your report. It is a brief summary-paragraph, about half a page, primarily reflecting about the laboratory experience. You must write your own conclusion, after completing the data collection and analysis. It must be written as the last piece and attached as the last piece, after data tables and graphs.

* Conclusion should state things that are unique for your investigation which can be accomplished by including values of the experimentally determined physical quantities.  Just remember that you cannot write your conclusion without completing your experiments or investigations. General statements like "I have determined the densities of given solids" and "Human Error" are not acceptable.

Conclusion Points are listed for 10 point total lab report score:

* Start your conclusion by re-stating the purpose with appropriate changes (0.2 pt). Then you need to briefly state (don’t repeat procedure) how you conducted the experiment and collected the data (0.2 pt). Continue this with summarizing your results (make it unique by listing your experimental values) (0.2 pt), referring to the data tables and graphs when appropriate, and answer the purpose (0.2 pt). Then you need to discuss about some of the difficulties you had, errors and their possible causes, and suggestions for improvement (0.2 pt). Describe your reasoning using physics terminology and principles and reflect extensively. You should explain as completely as possible what goes through your mind that leads you to your conclusion.